Shock Ball
Shock Ball is a game played by novice and apprentice wizards at Conclave. The game is played with two teams of five players. Each team member is trying to hit an opposing team member with a mellon-sized ball of arcane magic. The ball is not exactly harmful - generally just shocking the target and causing temporary numbness where it strikes. Shock ball is normally played within a hexagonal 'court' with one side for the Blue Team and the other for the white. Teams are usually indicated by a bit of cloth tied around the arm of each team member or by tabbards. The game is the highlight of most Conclaves as it is played in such a way so that the best teams move forward in the ranks by the day until the final match which is played by the two best teams of the conclave. Rules Wizards of one team can not enter the zone of the other. Teams start out in the 'home' zone (the red dots) protecting their goal. The Goal is usually a crystal the size of a long mellon (watermellon) that's designed to float at around head height. When the goal crystal is struck by a shock ball it lets out a loud, gong-like tone. The goal of the game is to remove the opponent members and/or strike the goal three times. A player may not leave their zone - if they are forced out of their zone they are out of the match. A player can not use any spell other than Shock-Ball for their offensive maneuvers. A player can, however, augment their spell (duplication, splitting, etc.) with any non-lethal variant. Most of the games were used by Cabals to look for potential recruits but there was also a fair amount of rivalry between the various schools of young apprentices. Should one priory / tower not have enough members they will often recruit from any other mage of the same level. Teams are made up of either apprentices or for the more 'intense' games, journeymen. Mechanics The following mechanics are for individual players: *Roll initiative to determine the order of attack. *At the start of every turn, each player can do one of five actions: Shoot, Empower, Block, Evade or Recouperate. *Shooting: (ranged attack using standard to-hit for a spell) ** Spell: Shock Ball spell costs .5 mana each cast. ** Empower: Can empower ball or shield at a rate of .5 per round. ** Block: Basic shield spell costs .5 mana each cast. Shield has a toughness of 1. Shock ball does .5 degradation per level if it hits the shield. ** Evade: moving around the zone to increase difficulty to be hit. +2 AC ** Recouperate: No movement, regain .5 mana per round. Techniques The shocking ball created to throw at the opponents is nothing more than raw arcane energy that has been shaped into a sphere and made solid enough to throw. Once it impacts the target, or any target, the energy dissapates. The balls can be blocked (by a shield spell or other barrier), deflected (either by Mage Hand or some similar effect) or absorbed. Only the rare wizard is able to redirect the spell. However, clever players have employed tactics such as mirror image (a simple version) to confuse their enemy so as where to throw, a veil spell to hide their presence until they strike or even create two smaller balls out of a single strike. Being hit by a shock ball is enough to momentarily stun the target. Tactics Many teams will have its members switch between offensive and defensive roles upon command. They will often move about their zones to gain possition to take a shot or two before retreating back into the safety of their blockers. Teams will often employ 2-3 "blockers" who cast shield spells to protect the remaining members who are then called "shooters". The number of blockers and shooters change rapidly testing the opposite team member's ability to either fire or block at a moment's notice. Reception Shock Ball is a main event for every Conclave. Masters and students alike are always eager to see what new talent is being shown or what new spell variation is demonstrated. Masters, as they will have to pick their students not only on how they pass the Azure Test but also on how they carry themselves, will watch the games to attempt to learn of the novice's character. After the Shock Ball Game, most players retire to a nearby tavern to recount the plays and spells being used. It is often there and then when most Novice Scrolls are traded. Shockball Game It was the day before Kyson 's test (19 Marn) and there was a Shock Ball game going on in the afternoon between a team of 'commoner' apprentices from the North and some 'noble' ones from the south. The northern team needed another blocker and one of Kyson's newly found friends (?) pulled him in. The match was quite intense and many of the northern team had been shocked a few times; slowly dulling their ability to react within the game. The southern apprentices were not targeting the crystal which floated at the rear of the field as a goal, rather they were purposefully striking members of the northern team to punish them. Such a tactic was not technically against the rules but it was often considered poor sportsmanship. When Kyson's friend (?) had been struck by two balls in succession, he dropped to the ground in pain. Kyson moved to stand before him to protect him as three southerns pelted his shields - determined to break through. Each time a ball hit his shield he would have to call another to replace it. If given time he could boost its effect to take the hit of perhaps two balls at once but that took a lot of concentration. When two of the southerners turned to cheer on the crowd as the third continued to throw balls of blue-white energy at the country-boy apprentice. He was having problems pulling up the shield spell over and over again and his reserves of energy were fading quickly. Kyson suddenly dropped his shield as a bolt was coming in at him and grabbed the ball in mid-air with a modified 'mage hand' spell. The ball whipped around him as he spun and was energized by his own magic as he sent it back across the line. The southern apprentice was so shocked at what he saw he couldn't get his shield up in time. The combined blast of two balls hitting him at once knocked him flat. The remaining two southerners turned at the sound of their teammate's yelp and fired up balls to finish Kyson off. Ardus, who was passing by the event, looked down from a walk above to see what seemed like the final blow - his attention drawn by the sound of shock at Kyson's ability to redirect the last ball. Assuming that the country boy would be finished off by the last two shots. Each of the two southerners were charging their spheres with the equivalent power of nearly three balls before they released them. Kyson couldn't block them and he was lucky to redirect the last one. Out of morbid curiosity, Ardus turned to watch the end and was surprised by what he saw. Kyson took a step forward and just as the balls were about to hit him, clapped his hands together to create a v-shapped shield to deflect the spheres to either side of him like a plow cutting through the earth. As soon as they were past his shield, he opened his hands and let fly a quick blast of energy which caught one of the southerners off guard. Now, with only two players remaining - the southerner an enemy from earlier in the week who enjoyed picking on Kyson at the amusement of Kyrean - it was a match of wills. Again, the southerner charged up a ball with far more energy than the average sphere - almost to the point of a leathal shot - and let it fly at Kyson. Kyson, again, took an almost proud step forward and rather than deflect or redirect the blast, reached out his hands and seemed to catch it in mid air. Rather than being shocked by the energy within the sphere he held it for a moment and absorbed it into himself. The effect sent ripples through the crowd as the country boy's eyes momentarily took upon a blue glow as he returned fire with not one but three balls in a single volley. The southern player dove out of the way of the shot and the spheres struck the southern goal - ending the game. Category:Game/Arcane Category:Game